RESEARCH BULLETIN 1011 MAY 1968 A Comparison of the Hereford and Charolais Breeds and Their Crosses Under Two Systems of Management EARLE W. KLOSTERMAN, V. R. CAHILL, and C. F. PARKER OHIO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER WOOSTER, OHIO CONTENTS • * • Introduction________________________________________________ 3 Objectives_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4 Procedure ____________ . _______________________ . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4 Results____________ _ ______________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6 Discussion______ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ __________ --- _- ____ --- ____ 18 Summary __________________________________________________ 19 Literature Cited ____________________________________________ .21 AGDEX 420/15-40-55 5-68-4M A Comparison of the Hereford and Charolais Breeds and Their Crosses Under Two Systems of Management EARLE W. KLOSTERMAN, V. R. CAHILL, and C. F. PARKER INTRODUCTION Within breeds or types of cattle, a positive relationship exists be­ tween rate of gain and efficiency of feed utilization ( 8, 12 ) . It has also been reported ( 9 ) that s~lection for rate of gain will increase mature size as well as efficiency of gain and, although selection for mature size would lw expected to increase rate of gain, it would not substantially improve feed efficiency. Much of the research conducted to compare different sizes of cattle has been within specific breeds ( 7, 10, 11 ) . In some in­ stances ( 13 ), there was considerable variation within each size group. Thus, the research reported here was designed to compare two breeds which are clearly different in size. The Hereford is a well-established breed of conventional size. The Charolais is a large type, French breed which was just being introduced into the Corn Belt when this research project started in 195 7. Little research data were available on the comparative value of these breeds or Hereford and Charolais cows, straightbred and crossbred calves in breeding and management study at Southeastern Branch, Ohio Agricul­ tural Research and Development Center. 3 their crosses. Because of their difference in size, it seemed possible that the value of the two breeds might differ depending upon the system of management followed and the age at which the cattle were slaughtered. The amount of information available on the effects of heterosis on performance traits of beef cattle has been limited. This is especially true of t rosses involving the Charolais breed. The feed required to maintain a beef cow for 1 year must be charged against her calf. The heavier the calf becomes, the smaller this require­ ment is in proportion to the total feed required to produce a given weight of slaughter beef. On the other hand, young animals utilize their feed more efficiently than older animals. Thus, two opposing forces are op­ erating in determining what age or weight of cattle can be produced more efficiently. Little controlled research data have been available to an­ swer this que~tion when the overall feed requirement of the beef herd is considered. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this experiment were: 1. To measure the effects of hybrid vigor in crosses of the Charo­ lais and Hereford hreeds of cattle. 2. To study the value of these breeds and their reciprocal crosseR under two systems of management. (a) Calves creep fed, fattened in dry lot, and slaughtered at 12 to 14 months of age. (b) Calves not creep fed, wintered, grazed, fattened in dry lot, and slaughtered at 18 to 20 months of age. 3. To compare the overall efficiency of beef production of the previous two systems of management. PROCEDURE This experiment was initiated at the Southeastern Branch of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Carpenter, in 1958 with the purchase of 25 Charolais cross and 25 Hereford heifer calves. These were bred as yearlings in the spring of 1959. After they had produced two calf crops and were bred for the third time, the cows were transferred in the fall of 1961 to the Mahoning County Farm, Can­ field. At the same time, a second group of 25 heifer calves of both breeds was purchased and added to the project at the Southeastern Branch. These cows were also first bred as yearlings to calve at 2 years of age. The results from three calf crops produced by both group<; of cows are included in this report. The Herefords were straightbred, non-registered calves and the Charolais were three-fourths and higher percentage Charolais breeding. 4 Three calf crops from each group of cows were included in this phase of the experiment. Matings were made to produce approximately equal numbers of Charolais, Hereford, and crossbred calves. Purebred Hereford and Charolais bulls were used and were changed each year so that a total of six sires of each breed were included in the study. Approximately half of the crossbred calves were sired by Charolais bulls out of Hereford dams and the other half by Hereford bulls out of Charolais cows. Be­ cause of the relatively small number of cattle included, the experiment was not designed to compare the reciprocal crosses. The cows were wintered in dry lot with access to sheds and were bred to calve in February and March. The weights of all harvested feeds fed to the cows and calves were recorded. Weights of cattle going to and from pasture and the number of days on pasture were also ob­ tained. It was not possible with the facilities available to feed the cows or wintering calves separately by breeds. At the close of the breeding season in July each year, the calves were divided at random within sex and breeding into two equal groups. One group was creep fed a mixture of equal parts by weight of corn and oats while on pasture with their dams. These calves were fattened in dry lot immediately following weaning. The other group was not creep fed, was wintered to gain 1.0 to 1.25 lb. per head daily, grazed for about 60 days without grain, and then fattened in dry lot. All calves were weaned about November 1 at which time they averaged approximately 260 days of age. The finishing ration fed in dry lot consisted of mixed hay, soybean meal, and ground ear corn. Silage was not included in the ration since the numbers of deferred cattle fed in the summer were too small to keep silage of good quality in the concrete stave silos available. The calves were fed in groups according to breeding and sex. In the second phase, of this experiment now underway, all heifer calves are retained for breeding. They are bred to Angus bulls and are thus used to compare the breeds and their crosses and to measure the ef­ fects of hybrid vigor on mothering ability. Results of this final phase will be presented in a later publication. Steer calves produced during the second phase at the Mahoning County Farm were taken to the South­ eastern Branch at weaning time and fattened with the creep fed steer calves produced at that location. Except for a limited number of heifers which were retained for re­ placements, all calves were slaughtered through the Meat Laboratory, The Oho State University. Detailed carcass data were obtained which included a separation of half of the carcass into edible portion, fat trim, 5 and hone. Edible portion is defined as muscle tissue with a maximum of % inch of fat on any surface. Broiled steaks were also evaluated for tenderness hy a trained taste panel. Statistical analyses of results were by the method of least squares ( 3). In these analyses, the average weight of the dam was included as an independent continuous variable in order to study the relationship be­ tween weight of cow and performance traits of her calf. This cow weight was an average of monthly weights taken throughout the year except when omitted during the calving season. RESULTS Complete results including detailed carcass cutout data were ob­ tained on a total of 212 calves. Thirty different traits were measured on each of these animals and were subjected to statistical analyses. These analyses measured simultaneously the effects of breed, years, manage­ ment system, sex, and interactions among these factors. It is thus pos­ sible to measure the statistical significance of differences among specific treatments without these differences being influenced by unequal num­ bers or differences due to other treatments. For example, breeds can be compared with the effects of year of birth, sex, and management system removed. The means or averages also can be adjusted for these differ- TABLE 1.-Weights and Gains of Hereford, Charolais and Crossbred Cattle (Adjusted for Differences Among Years, Sex, and Systems of Man­ agement). Hereford Advantage and of Hereford Charolais Crossbred Charolais Crossbred Average Percent Number 71 62 79 Birth weight, lb. 70.0 83.3 77.4 76.6 1.0 Weaning weight (260 day], lb. 518 645 602 582 3.4 Av. daily gain, birth to wean, lb. 1.58 1.99 1.85 1.78 3.9 Av. daily gain on winter ration, lb.* 1.08 1.21 1.19 1.14 4.4 Av. daily gain on pasture, lb. • 1.21 1.32 1.28 1.26 1.6 Av. daily gain on feed, lb. 2.18 2.36 2.32 2.27 2.2 Final weight, lb.